Down in the Mindscape
by TheChronicLiar
Summary: Sins of the past, repeated again. Wishing away their uncle wasn't their best move. (May make an actual story).


This is for my dear Precious, Problem. Cause I love her as much as I love the Labyrinth. Happy Birthday you old hag.

**Down in the Mindscape**

Bill grinned, looking into the glass orb as his little _Pine Tree_ followed his sister through the underground tunnels. They have gotten father than he expected, though they have received help. That small little gnome creature was leading them through the tunnels and from the look on his face, the girl did something to entrance his help. Such a weak-willed thing.

Placing a lone finger against the cool glass of the orb, dark cloud wisps formed at the spot, falling down to where Pine Tree and Shooting Star now stood. It was only seconds before the twins and gnome jumped and spun around. Horror flooded their faces as silent screams escaped them. He chuckled as Pine Tree grabbed his sister's hand and bundled the gnome under his arm before running down the corridor.

"Cipher," a gruff voice growled from behind him. "Leave them alone. They have nothing to do with this."

"I beg to differ, Stanford," Bill stated as he kept his attention on the orb.

Grunkle Stan struggled against his bindings as he glared at the familiar silhouette of the man. The same man he hadn't seen since his brother and him summoned that dream wielder years ago, long before the twins were even born. Shifting on his aching knees, he straightened himself. "They weren't even making a wish."

Bill hummed as he turned around to the kneeling man. "It doesn't have to be a wish. They said the words and I came. I just got lucky that they were _your _nephew and niece."

"Lucky my ass," Stan spat. "You probably had it planned."

The finely dressed man nodded somewhat with a nonchalant shrug. "Can't say I planned this, but I did leave a few well-placed nudges," he replied.

"You bastard." Stan struggled against the binds with a newfound purpose of punching off that smug grin from the man's face.

Bill's eyes flashed a bright blue as he grinned. "Yes?"

"Stop playing with them! You know they shouldn't even be here!" Stan argued.

"Again, I'd have to disagree," Bill sighed, pouting. "You see, about, oh how long ago was it? Ten? No…Ah, yes, fifty years ago a pair of children summoned me."

Stan paled. "That was an accident and you know it!"

"Was it?" Bill questioned, wide eyed. "Oh too bad. I wish I knew before all of this," he said while waving toward the orb where Stan could see Mabel and Dipper from a dark beast with several eyes and rows upon rows of sharp teeth.

"YOU KNEW!" Stan screamed frantically while staring at the orb. The beast was getting closer to them. "WE TOLD YOU!"

"Oh? Did you?" Bill pondered as he stepped back in front of the orb. "Oh that's right, I didn't believe your lie." A grin pulled at the dream wielder's face as he stared down cruelly at Stan. "We all know that you and your brother knew exactly what you were doing when summoning me." The smile grew darker as he walked to the wrinkled man and kneeled in front of him. A gloved hand reached out and grasped Stan's chin painfully tight as Bill forced him to look him in the eye. "It is just that you two had no idea what was at stake. You couldn't pay the price," Bill hissed before flicking his chin out of his hand.

Grunkle Stan struggled to stay balanced as stared down the other. Rolling on his knees, he moved forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Bill. "Let them go." His voice grumbled out his demand.

Snorting, Bill fell back with a laugh. "Oh, you're so intimidating in your old age!"

"Dammit, Cipher! They're just kids!" Stan yelled. No matter how hard he worked at his bindings, they didn't budge.

Bill's laughter stopped instantly. "I believe you and your brother were just a few years younger than those two," he mused as he stood. He walked toward his throne, several feet away and plopped down in the plush cushions. Slinging his leg over the side, he held out his hand and the orb floated down in it.

Gazing into the sphere, he couldn't stop the sharp grin overtaking his face. There Pine Tree stood over his beast. Dark blood splattered on his clothes, one of the many discarded swords in his hands. Body shaking as his sister hugged him from behind. The sight sent a fire through him. Soon that boy would make his way to his castle in the center of the labyrinth and then-

"CIPHER!"

His head shot up. "Oh, yes. I almost forgot about you." He rolled the orb over his fingertips as he stared at the man. "What were we discussing? Ah, right. They aren't exactly kids, Stanford. They are older than you two were."

"But they don't know any better! They didn't know that this would happen!" Stan pleaded.

"You really have a tendency of being wrong," Bill commented. "But this time you aren't completely wrong. They may not have had as much information as you and your brother had, but if I remember correctly, your brother wrote a large enough warning not to summon me."

The older looking man cursed.

"Do you remember when you two summoned me?" Bill asked, lounging back in the thrown with is head hanging over the arm rest. "That look of astonishment and accomplishment. You two were so excited. That was until I was about to take you with me…then you both realized what you have done. Honestly, why did either of you think that wishing the other away to me was a good enough reason to see if the spell worked, is beyond me, but to have your brother strike a deal with me. Now that, that was worth it," he muttered the last bit as he stared into the orb. They were getting closer. "You remember what he offered me?"

"…"

"Come on, Stanford. If you amuse me, I may be kind to you," Bill suggested, grinning at the hunched over man.

A grumble came from the man.

"What was that?"

"He offered his kid…"

Bill smiled brightly as he sat up in his throne. "Not just any kid. His first born! Said he'd bring them to me himself," he laughed. "We both know where that went, though I wasn't that surprised. Not many would hand over their child willingly, promise or not."

"Then why are you doing this?" Stan asked. He looked older than normal. His eyes were tired, shoulders slumped as he looked ready to curl into himself.

"Because I want the deal to be complete," Bill stated as if it were obvious. He thought about letting the deal go. Stanford was right in saying they were just kids. He wouldn't have accepted the child if Stanley had actually went through with the deal. There was no need for a babe in his kingdom. Too much of a hassle. He was even willing to ignore the deal break. That man's child wasn't very interesting at all, but then they had twins of their own. And they were far more interesting than Stanford and his twin. They were practically paranormal magnets. Especially, Pine Tree. "Those two will be a fine prize for your brother's folly. Maybe I'll keep them as well after they fail my labyrinth to win you back." Though from the looks of it, they may win.

"Please," Stan started. His shoulders were shaking and Bill started to think that grown man was crying. "Just let them go. I was supposed to be here anyways. Just let the deal end with me."

Kicking his leg, tapping his boot against the side of the throne, Bill through about Stanford's offer. It was several minutes of him staring at the quaking man's shoulders before he decided. "I'll tell you what, Stanford. I'll make a deal with you," he started. The man's shoulders flinched at the words, but he stayed silent. "If the twins can't make it through the labyrinth in time, I'll let them go free. I may even through you along with them. You're not much use for me now that you're so old."

Stan's slumped in relief, mentally praying that the twins failed in rescuing him. "Thank you."

"I'm not done," Bill chided. "Now, if they do end up defeating my labyrinth, I will let you go, but I will keep the twin that makes it first into my thrown room here."

"You can't do that!" Stan yelled, straightening up in horror as he fell to the ground from his sudden movement.

"You may find that I can," Bill stated as he stood from his throne and walked over to the large window that overlooked his labyrinth. "You may want to decide on which twin you hold walks through the door first because they are getting closer by the second."

X

Running through the stone built ways, Dipper lead Mabel through the castle. "STAN!" he yelled.

"GRUNKLE STAN!" Mabel screamed. "WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"Where could he be?" Dipper mumbled as he looked down each corridor they ran by.

"I don't know," Mabel panicked as she opened doors left and right in search of their uncle. "What if he's hurt? What if that guy hid him?"

"If he did, I'll let you punch him this time," Dipper told her, earning a weak smile from her. He returned it before looking down at the watch on his wrist. They only had a few more minutes to find Grunkle Stan or they would lose him for good.

Mabel opened another door, her smile failing when it was another dead end. "This is my fault…" she whispered, hanging her head.

Dipper grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her to him. "Mabel, we've been through this. It is my fault as much as yours."

"But you weren't the one that wished him away!" she cried. The stress of it was finally breaking her.

"And I shouldn't have even suggested trying out the spell," Dipper stated. "You have to stop crying. We still have time to find him. Right?"

Mabel sniffled and nodded. "Yeah," she breathed with a shaky smile. "He could be behind any door now."

Dipper smiled and nodded. He watched her as she moved to another set of doors and started opening them. He turned to his own and pushed open the heavy twin doors.

"Well, well, well."

"No," he could hear his Grunkle sob.


End file.
